Blood Lines: Continued Legacy
by HazelAngel77
Summary: Five years later, a serial killer is making his rounds in Miami and Brianna Caine finds herself taking over the position of night shift supervisor.
1. Chapter 1 So It Begins

Five years later …

The sun was rising as the team finished up with the crime scene. She was standing at the back of the AV Hummer, placed her Bluetooth in her ear and dialed the lab. She waited for someone to pick up.

"It would be nice if Blackstone would be where he's supposed to be when he needs to be there." she said aloud to herself.

After six more rings, she gave up. A tall redheaded man came over upon hearing her comment.

"Is there a problem, ma'am?" he asked admiring the woman who stood in front of him.

"Blackstone and I are going to have a talk when I get back to the Lab." she replied as she closed up the back of the Hummer.

"Eric is out on a call, isn't he?" the man inquired.

The woman nodded her head. "He got called out thirty minutes after we did."

Just then, her phone vibrated. She looked at the caller id then at the man whom she was talking. He shook his head.

"Brianna Caine," she answered.

"Hey, Bri, you called?" the caller asked.

"Mister Blackstone, I do hope you have a reasonable excuse for not being in the AV Lab.," she stated. Brianna listened to Blackstone's explanation. "You were occupied?" She continued to listen to the young man. Pinching the bridge of her nose she said, "Mister Blackstone, you are to go to trace and assist Detective Wolfe until Lieutenant Caine and I get back to the lab, is that clear?" She waited for a reply. When she received it, she snapped her phone closed.

As they were loading up the Hummer, Brianna's phone rang. She turned it over …_Homicide call … 201 W 35__th__ St. Miami Beach_.

"Lieutenant, it appears we have a double header." Brianna said as Horatio was looking at the same message. "What do you want to do?"

He thought for a moment. "Take your car and go to the call. I'll get this back to lab and meet you there."

"Yes, sir," she replied as she grabbed her kit and headed for her car. She pressed 11 on her speed dial. "Dispatch, this is Sergeant Brianna Caine. I'm on my way to West 35th."

She made her way to her car, opened her trunk, put her kit in it, closed the lid and got in. Horatio watched her turn on to Collins and head north up to 35th. A woman came up to Horatio.

"She took off fast." the woman commented. "Who's going to taking the call out up on 35th?"

"She's handling it, Miss Boa Vista." Horatio said.

Natalia noticed the concerned expression on Horatio face. "Horatio, are you okay?"

He smiled and turned to Natalia. "Yes, I am, but Thank you ma'am."

They finished pack the Hummer and head back to the lab. Horatio dropped Natalia and the evidence then head to Miami Beach.

Meanwhile, Brianna pulled up to the taped off area. She got out and looked around. She grabbed her kit out of trunk and gloved up. She signed in. Frank waved to her.

"Morning, Frank," she greeted as she signed into the crime scene.

"Hey, Brianna, starting early this morning?"

She laughed. "Yeah, at 3:30 this morning."

"Alexx is inside. A word of warning, Brianna, it's a mess in there."

She nodded. "Thank you Frank."

The house was single story Mediterranean style very similar to the layout of Brianna's house on Star Island. Brianna walked into the house. There was blood everywhere. She had seen a lot in the past ten years, but it had been eight since seeing anything like this.

"Alexx, is there a path clear?" Brianna called.

"Yeah, honey, down the hall to the living room." she replied.

Brianna made her way to the living room and stopped. On the floor was a young woman lying in a large pool of blood. She was wearing a black satin halter cocktail dress, but the halter was loose and a pair of black stilettos.

"Brianna, I've seen a lot of things on this job, but this is the worst.," she answered as she pulled back the top of the dress.

Her eyes widened in shock as she felt bile come up into her throat. "Alexx, what happened to her?"

Horatio came into the living room just as Brianna paled. He had never seen her react that way at a crime scene. Alexx returned the top of the dress to its original position. Brianna looked over to see her father. He walked over to her and cock his head.

"Are you up to this ma'am?"

"Yes, I'll be fine." she answered quietly, trying not to retch.

"Our girl here was butchered like a piece of meat. She has bites, lacerations, contusions and her chest had been mutilated."

"So you have an id, yet?" Brianna asked.

Alexx handed her a small Coach clutch. "Her name is Elizabeth Bryant, age 24. These should have been the happiest days of your life, honey."

Brianna nodded her head. "Time of death?"

"This doesn't make any sense. Her liver temp is 98.3, but the body's in rigor." Alexx said puzzled.

"No, it doesn't Alexx." Brianna commented. For her, it was like someone had pressed rewind on life to eight years ago.

"Alexx, did you run a sexual assault kit?" Horatio asked.

"Yes, but I'll know more at the post." Alexx replied as her assistants bagged the victim and placed the body on the gurney.

After three hours, Brianna couldn't take any more. She quickly walked out of the house, passed her father who was talking with Frank.

"What was that about?" Frank asked.

"I don't know, Frank." Horatio replied as he began to follow Brianna.

Brianna didn't bother signing out. She walked around behind the Hummer which was parked just outside the tapeline. Horatio caught up with her just as she bent over and retched. He got a bottle of water out of her car and came back.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" he asked as he handed her the water.

Brianna took a drink, swished it around in her mouth and spit it out. Horatio opened the front passenger door and help Brianna get in. "Brianna, I've never seen you react like this."

"I just have seen anything like that for a long time. Frank said it was a mess. I was expecting one like that."

Horatio noticed a look in her eyes that told him there was something else going on. "Is there anything else I need to know, Bri?"

"I'll keep you posted." she answered.

Horatio had learned a while ago that when Brianna was ready to reveal information she would do so and not before, so he left it alone. "Okay. Are you almost finished?" he asked as he helped out.

She took a few more drink of water and nodded. "Yes, I just have to pack up."

Horatio watched her walked back into the house. Frank came over.

"Is she okay, Horatio?" Frank wondered.

"She's fine Frank. She said it's been a while since she's seen a crime scene this bloody."


	2. Chapter 2 A Little to Familar

_Frank, Horatio and Brianna walked back into the house. Brianna slowly walked through the house again. She looked over the pictures on the mantle over the fireplace. _

"_I guess the neighbor guy was lying." Frank said._

_Brianna picked up a photograph off the mantle. "No, I don't think he was lying, Frank." she commented as she showed the photo of Elizabeth and her dog. _

_She took a long look around the living room. __This does not make sense. The girl's injuries should have caused Miss Bryant to completely bleed out_, she thought. 

"I don't think she was killed in here. " Brianna stated.

"How can you say that? There's blood everywhere in here?" Frank protested.

Brianna walked over to the blood pool. Pointing out the outline of it, she said, "The victim should have completely bled out, Frank. That is 14 to 18 pints of blood. The blood pool isn't large enough."

"So, where do you think the rest of the blood came from?" Horatio ask. He wanted her to look deeper.

"I'm not sure, but …" she replied. "May be these gravitational drops can tell us."

On the floor, leading away from the body, were gravitational drops of blood. 

"It looks like they lead to the master bedroom." Frank commented.

Brianna pulled out her SIG, as she slowly made her to the bedroom. She pushed the door opened and holstered her gun. The bed was covered in red.

"This would be where Miss Bryant was killed." Brianna said quietly as she looked around. 

"I would definitely agree." Frank commented.

Brianna shifted her thinking into the area of her expertise. Horatio watched her posture change. She took a deep breath. "Okay," she mumbled. "A 24 year old single woman, dressed to go out, owns a dog, no forced entry, mutilated body …" She walked back to the foyer then outside. Frank and Horatio followed her outside.

"Horatio, what's she doing?" Frank asked, wondering why Brianna was talking to herself.

"Remember, Frank, her area of expertise is criminal investigative psychology. 

"So, she's trying to get into the killer's head?" Frank inquired further.

Horatio nodded as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed the lab. He waited for someone to pick up. 

"Duquesne." was the answer he received.

"Calleigh, would you come to 201 W. 35th St., please and bring Eric with you. Brianna's going to need some help here." 

Calleigh said that she would there as soon as possible. Horatio thanked her and hung up. 

"Thank you, Lieutenant." Brianna said as she began walk around the outside of the house.

Brianna went through the shrubs that surround the house. As she walked, she kept having the notion that the whole scenario was familiar. She looked along the south side of the house while Horatio looked along the north side. 

Calleigh and Eric had arrived and Frank filled them in. They signed in, went inside and began to process the bedroom. While they were collecting evidence, Calleigh noticed what appeared to be a covered picture frame. She photographed it and lifted off the pillowcase that was covering it. 

Calleigh read over its message twice and looked over at Eric. "Horatio and Brianna are going to want to see this." Eric left to tell them about the message.

Brianna made her way back to the backyard. The more she thought about what she was seeing, the more disturbed she became. Brianna finally found what she was looking for, a blood trail that began at the back patio door. Horatio came around the corner as she began to follow the trail.

"What have you got, Brianna?" he asked.

"A blood trail leading from the house." she answered as she followed it. She made her way to a group of shrubs and pushed them back. "I found the dog."

"Yes, you did." Horatio commented. 

Just then, Eric came out of the house. "Horatio, Brianna, you guys better come have a look at this," he yelled.

"Be right there." Horatio answered as he and Brianna walked back to the house.

What do you have?" Brianna asked.

"We were going through the bedroom when Calleigh found a picture frame covered with a pillowcase."

They walked into the bedroom. Calleigh stepped aside so they could see the picture frame. Horatio expression turned grim as Brianna picked it up. In red letters, a message was written:

_Let us play a simple game_

_Can you guess my little name?_

_A spark, a match lights a room_

_See you again very soon._

"That's hideous." Calleigh said.

"He's taunting us." Brianna stated. "Calleigh, could you go outside and take pictures of the crowd." Calleigh left to go outside.

"See you again very soon? Is that his way of tell us he's watching us?" Frank asked.

"No," Brianna answered. "It's his way of telling us that the game is on and we're behind the eight ball Frank."

"Do you think this is his first kill?" Horatio asked in a serious tone. 

"Right now, I can't answer that." Brianna said looking at her father. "I need to talk to Alexx."

Just then, Horatio's phone rang. "I think you might get you wish, Sergeant. It's Alexx." After a few minutes, he hung up. "Alexx needs to see us at the morgue."

"We'll finish up here, H and get everything back to the lab." Eric said.

Horatio nodded as he and Brianna walked out of the house, signed out and got into Brianna's car. Brianna did not say a word on the way back to the lab. Horatio looked over at her as they got out of the car.

"Brianna, you said that it had been a while since you had seen something like this, when was the last time you saw it?" Horatio asked her as they made their way to the morgue.

"Nine years ago in New York, however, I wasn't working that case. I only heard about it. The killer, Albert Hudson, was arrested, convicted and executed four years ago." Brianna said.

"I remember reading about that. What are you're thoughts about this?" Horatio asked.

"Either Mister Hudson has risen from the dead or we have someone who's decided to pick where he left off." Brianna admitted. 

They walked into the morgue to find Alexx looking a little pale.

"Hey, honey," Alexx greeted. "I hope you ate some more wheaties this morning"

Brianna gave her a light smile. "I already lost them Alexx."

Alexx looked at Horatio. He nodded and Alexx pulled back the sheet that covered the victim. Brianna stood there for a moment. 

Horatio noticed Brianna pale slightly. "Sweetheart, are you okay?"

"Umm, yeah, I just …" she replied as she placed her notebook next to Alexx's on the side table. "She looked bad at the house, but this." As Brianna donned a pair of gloves, Alexx began to explain what she had found so far.

"I've found no less than 50 bite marks on her body, most of them on her inner thighs, twenty-five lacerations and numerous tears in the vaginal tissue."

"Have you run the sexual assault kit yet?" Brianna asked.

"Yes, I did and what I found made me sick. I can tell you she had never had sexual intercourse before and whatever did penetrate her did a massive amount of damage." Alexx said as she handed Brianna a folder. 

"My god, this is beyond overkill." Brianna said as she handed the folder to her father.

"Poor girl was tortured death." Horatio said softly.

"Fifty bite marks?" Brianna said.

Alexx nodded gravely. "I'm afraid so. I also found something odd in her pubic hair."

"What was it?" Brianna asked.

"It looked like metal shavings, so I sent it to trace." Alexx said 

Brianna began to examine the body. She looked at the girl's eyes. _They are clouded,_ she thought. Brianna dipped her head, the looked at Horatio and Alex. 

"Baby girl, here, has been dead for at least six hours. I couldn't look at her face at the scene because of this." Alex said. She carefully picked up, what looked like to be a mask. "This was on her face, but I don't know it is, but I'll send it to trace. Whatever this is, kept her face in perfect condition."

"This isn't making sense at all. Her core temp was barely under 98.6 and she doesn't look like she's been dead for one day, Alex." Brianna commented.

Alexx picked up a small plastic bag. "I found this when I x-rayed the body." 

"It's a heat pack." Horatio said. 

"Those last ten hours." Brianna said. "How was it put in there?"

"Could you help me, Brianna?" Alexx asked. Brianna helped Alexx to lift the body to reveal a six inches incision. "The killer put it in."

"So that's where the blood pool came from." Horatio said.

With that, Brianna walked out of the autopsy suite, in need of air.

Alexx looked Horatio. "What was that about?"

"I'm not sure, Alexx."

Horatio walked out of the suite, looking left then right and saw Brianna halfway down the hall. He caught to her quickly as she pulled out her cell phone. Recognizing the phone number, he waited until she was done.

Brianna waited for someone to pick up the phone. Finally, it stopped ringing.

"May I speak with Detective Mac Taylor please?" Brianna asked. "Detective Sergeant Brianna Caine."

"Are you getting a copy of the file?" Horatio inquired quietly.

Brianna nodded.

In the New York City Crime Lab, Mac was in the lab working on some trace evidence when Danny Messer walked in.

"Hey, Mac, you've got a phone call, line one." Danny said.

"Danny, I'm up to my neck in trace evidence. Can you take a message?"

"It's Brianna Caine, Mac."

He looked up from the microscope. "Brianna, did she say what was going on?"

"No, she sounds like all business." Danny said with raised eyebrows.

Mac picked up the phone and pressed the line one button. "Hey, Brianna."

Brianna smiled. "Hello, Mac."

"Danny said you sounded like all business."

"Well, Mac, that would be correct." Brianna affirmed. "I need a favor."

"So, what can I do for you?"

"Do you remember the Albert Hudson case?"

"The serial killer that sodomized five women then dissected them?"

"Yes, I need the case file."

"Brianna, you know he was executed in 2009."

"We have a case down here in which the MO is looking very similar."

"You think someone's pulling a copy cat?" Mac inquired.

"I hope not Mac." Brianna replied then she told him the message in the picture frame.

"Sounds like your killer is just getting started." Mac proposed.

"That's why I want to get a jump on this, Mac."

"I'll same day it to you. Brianna, you need anything, you call me." Mac said.

Brianna talked to Mac for another fifteen minutes, thanked him and hung up. Horatio had stepped away to give her some privacy. He watched her for a moment as she pinched the bridge of her nose. _She needs some sleep_, he thought.

He walked up to her and waited patiently while she got her thoughts together.

"Mac's going to same day the case file." Brianna said as she tried to stifle a yawn.

"Sweetheart, do you need to take some time?" Horatio asked.

"I'm just a little tired. I guess it's time for that meeting with Anthony."

Horatio smiled as they went back up to the lab. He knew she hated having these meetings as much as he did. Coming down on his people was not something Horatio enjoyed. However, there were times when it was necessary.

They walked into the layout lab. Brianna and Horatio watched Anthony for a while. Ryan looked up when they walked in and smiled. Anthony turned around to see Brianna watching him and nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Good grief, Sergeant, you need to let people know you are there." Anthony spit out.

"And you, Mister Blackstone, need to learn to pay attention to your surroundings." Brianna commented as she noticed that the fly of his jeans was unzipped. "Come with us, Mister Blackstone."

Anthony didn't move. Ryan looked at him and gave him some advice. 

"Anthony, you're only postponing the inevitable."

Anthony, Brianna and Horatio went to the interview room just off the elevator. Horatio opened the door, letting Brianna go in first then himself with Anthony going in last.

"I'm sorry ma'am about not being in the AV Lab." Anthony said as he sat down.

Horatio and Brianna looked at one another. Horatio leaned forward and began.

"Mister Blackstone, this is becoming a habit with you."

"I'm sorry, sir."

"Sergeant Caine has informed me the reason you gave her was you were occupied." Horatio continued.

Anthony was about to open his mouth and lie, but thought better of it. "Yes, that's what I told her."

"Who were you occupied with, son?" Horatio prodded.

Anthony looked shock then turned red when he noticed that his fly was unzipped. He was caught. "My girlfriend, sir."

"Umm, Sergeant Caine, would you mind stepping out?"

Brianna smiled. "Not a problem, sir." she replied as she stepped out of the glass enclosed room.

She checked with Paula to see if she had any messages when Ryan came up. She gave a contented smile.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked. 

Brianna looked at him. "Yeah, why?"

"The evidence and photos from the West 35th call came in and I overheard one of assisting officers talking to someone, saying that you were throwing up pretty bad. I was concerned."

Brianna could see the concern in his eyes worry shadowing his handsome features. "It was bad, Ryan. I tried to get through the processing without retching, but after three hours, I couldn't take it anymore. The smell was getting to me."

While Brianna and Ryan talked, Horatio was finishing up with Anthony.

"Anthony, we all need personal time, but having your girlfriend come by when you're on the clock for a quick ride is not acceptable. It is a distraction which has compromised your work."

"It hasn't compromised my work, sir." Anthony protested.

"Sergeant Caine needed you to be in the AV Lab this morning and you weren't there. So, yes, it has compromised your work."

"Yes, sir. Are you going to turn in a report to IAB?"

"This cannot happen again. Is that clear, Mister Blackstone?" Horatio said firmly. Anthony nodded. Horatio stood up. "Okay, you will be on desk duty for a week. If this happens again, I won't be able to help you."

"Thank you, sir." Anthony said as he left the room. He stopped by Brianna. "Sergeant Caine,"

"Yes, Mister Blackstone?" Brianna answered.

"I am sorry, ma'am. This won't happen again." Anthony assured.

Brianna nodded and Anthony went back to work. Horatio came out of the room and walked over.

"He's been put on desk duty for a week." 

"Okay, hopefully this will get his attention. I really don't want to write a suspension." Brianna admitted.

. Horatio's ringing cell phone got his attention. It was a text message from Lockler. _Stockton is looking for Brianna. Investigation complete … accusations are valid._ Horatio shook his head. 

Brianna had been having a number of trainees come to her about Lieutenant Stockton behavior, which ranged from tremors to extreme irritability to irrational judgment calls. Because of the seriousness of the accusations, he called Sergeant Lockler. He assisted Brianna in her investigation of Stetler. Horatio had known Lockler for a long time before Lockler went into IAB, he trusted him.

Horatio nodded then turned to Ryan. "Mister Wolfe, did you find out what that mask that covered Miss Bryant's face?"

Ryan was about to answer when a man came out of the elevator. The man tall and skinny, reminding him a lot of Stetler. _Man, thank god Stetler's in jail for the rest of his life_, Ryan thought.

"Isn't that Lieutenant Randall Stockton who supervises the night shift?" Ryan asked.

"Yes, it is." Horatio answered. "It's eleven o'clock in the morning, why is he here?"

Stockton saw Brianna and walked over. "Sergeant Caine, I want a word with you." he demanded loudly. 

"What can I do for you, Lieutenant Stockton?" Brianna asked respectfully.

"I want to know why my trainees have been come to you when they have work issues."

"Randall, if there is an issue with my Sergeant, then it needs to be discussed with me."

"What would you do about it?" Randall asked.

Brianna could see people watching in her peripheral vision. _Why I have a feeling that this is going to go sideways_, she thought. "Lieutenant Stockton, I'm responsible for overseeing all CSI trainees, regardless of who's shift they are assigned to." she stated. Her eyes fell on his left arm. She saw, what appeared to be insect bites until she realized what they were. _Those can't be track marks_, she thought.

Randall then proceeded to reprimand her for showing special treatment to certain trainees. Brianna followed her Lieutenant's silent instructions, so she simply listened.

"You know some of us have work hard our whole career to get where we're at and you … you become a Detective Sergeant at the age of 25."

Lockler's timing couldn't have been better. Just as Lockler was coming out of the elevator, Stockton snapped. He drew back and backhanded Brianna. The force of which landed Brianna on the floor. Ryan was immediately by her.

Lockler got the attention of two officers who immediately took Stockton in to custody. Ryan helped Brianna to her feet and looked over at Stockton. Horatio caught the look in Ryan's eyes.

"Detective Wolfe, please take Sergeant Caine to the break room." Horatio suggested quickly.

Ryan gave Stockton another look. "Not a problem, H." he said, respecting the request of his boss. He helped her walked to the break room.

Eric and Calleigh had gotten back by now. Both of them coming out of the DNA Lab when they heard the commotion. They came out just as Brianna landed on the floor. Stockton tried to step toward Brianna as two officers grabbed his hands.

Horatio was immediately in front of Stockton, hand on Randall's chest. "That is the stupidest thing I've ever seen you do Stockton."

After everything calmed down, Horatio went back to the break room to find Brianna. Ryan met him in the hall. 

"Ryan, how is she?" Horatio asked as he watched from the hall, Alexx attend to Brianna. 

"Her cheek has a small cut from Stockton's ring he was wearing and she has a small cut above her eye. Horatio, she hit the floor hard. I heard the crack." 

"Okay, thank you Ryan. Would you take her to Dade Memorial please and get her checked out.

"Sure, I'll take her."

"God that hurt." Brianna said as she held a small bag of ice to her cheek. She looked up to her father and Ryan walk in.

"Sweetheart, I'm going to have Ryan take you to the hospital to get checked out."

Brianna nodded. "Okay, I didn't see that coming."

"I don't think any of us did, Bri." Ryan affirmed.


	3. Chapter 3 Elizabeth Bryant

Ryan and Brianna saw Horatio waiting for them outside of the lab when they returned around one in the afternoon. Ryan helped her out of the car. Horatio noticed that she had taken her corn rolls out.

"How are you feeling?" Horatio asked.

"Nothing's broken or cracked. Doctor Reeves said that I'm going to have a nice bruise." she replied as she tucked her hair behind her right ear, revealing a light bruise.

"Do you have a concussion?"

"I have a slight concussion. He said if I become lightheaded or nauseous, I am to go back to the ER immediately."

"Do you need to take time?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Why don't you finish the day on desk duty, okay?"

"I can do that, Lieutenant. It'll give me a chance to go over the evidence from the 35th street house."

"That would be very good ma'am." Horatio replied.

They walked back inside met by Sergeant Lockler. He asked to speak to Brianna. Horatio nodded and Lockler and Brianna went into interview room one. They spoke for about thirty minutes. Horatio had sent Ryan up to the lab while he waited. When they came out, Lockler asked to speak to Horatio.

"It's good to see you, Horatio." Lockler said as they shook hands. "I took Sergeant Caine's statement regarding the events of this morning. Stockton will have a charge of aggravated assault of a police officer added to his drug charges."

"I assume that Sergeant Caine will be asked to testify."

"No, she said all of the complaints she received from the trainees were document and she would provide us with them."

"Thank you, Brandon. I'm sorry things turned out the way they did." Horatio offered as he extended his hand.

Lockler took the offered hand. "Yes, it hard to see someone fall down, but it's harder when they can't get back up."

The men said good-bye. Lockler told Brianna to get some rest and left. Horatio and Brianna went up to the lab. She went up to her office and pulled a file that she needed while she was doing that she pulled her hair into a quick bun at the base of her head. She grabbed her lab coat, the file and went back down to Trace. Ryan was working when Brianna walked in.

"What are you working on?" Brianna asked as she put a pair of gloves on.

"The trace from Elizabeth Bryant that Alexx sent up."

At that point, Frank walked in looking for Brianna.

"Hey, Brianna, I heard about Stockton. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'll be fine Frank. It's not the first time I've been hit and I doubt it'll be the last."

Frank chuckled. "Not in our line of work. You remember our neighbor guy who said he let Miss Bryant's dog in."

"Yes, let me guess, he's changing his story." Brianna said.

"Yeah, he said he didn't make the 911 call, but he did let the dog in."

Brianna cocked her head to the side. "He didn't call it in. So, who called it in?"

"Anthony's working a copy of the 911 tape. It sounds like something out of a horror movie."

"Okay, what time did Mister Saunders let the dog in?" she asked.

"He said about eleven o'clock last night. He and his girlfriend were getting ready to leave to go out."

"I think we need to bring Mister Saunders in and ask him a few questions."

"Okay, I'll go pick him up." Frank said.

She picked up the mask that had covered Elizabeth Bryant's face. It was not very thick barely three-sixteenth of an inch. It had a waxy feel to it. "I wonder …," she mumbled to herself. She scrapped a sample of it.

"It's wax." Brianna said.

"Are you sure?" Ryan asked.

"I'll run it through the MasSpec, but I'm pretty sure it's a wax of some sort."

Then she caught a sweet smell. "It scented with vanilla?"

Brianna prepared the sample and put it under the MasSpec. A few minutes later, the results were printed.

"What do you have?" Horatio said as he walked into the trace lab.

Brianna did not answer right away, but handed the results to Horatio. She picked up the mask again.

"The sample contains petroleum paraffin wax and vanillin." Horatio read.

"You were right, Brianna. It's candle wax." Ryan affirmed.

"Vanilla scented candle wax." Brianna corrected.

The MasSpec turned out another set of results, which Ryan pulled off the printer.

"My god," Ryan said quietly. "It's the results of the metal shavings from the victim. It contains carbon, silicon, manganese, chromium, nickel, nitrogen, niobium, and iron."

"That's steel, Lieutenant." Brianna asked.

"Yeah, it's the chemical components of high carbon steel." Ryan clarified.

"He used a steel pipe?" Brianna suggested.

"I think I'll check in with Alexx to if she has the tox screen back yet." Brianna said.

"You think Miss Bryant was dosed." Horatio said understanding the direction of her thinking.

"There wasn't one defensive wound on that body. That tells me that she was either 1)rendered unconscious or 2) she was dosed."

Eric walked in with a folder in hand, overheard the conversation. "Did Alexx find any trauma to the victim's head?"

"No, so that makes me lean more to the victim being dosed." Brianna replied as she walked out of trace and went to the morgue.

"She was serious during the Cobalt investigation, but not this serious. Does she think we have a serial on our hands?"

"Eric, I'll let you know as soon as she tells me. She's one of the best criminal psychologist in the country."

"She definitely gives everyone a run for their money." Eric commented as he watched her walk to the elevator. "Oh, what did the doctor say when you took her in, Ryan?"

"Reeves said nothing was broken or cracked, she has a slight concussion and she'll have a nice bruise on her cheek in the morning."

Eric shook his head. "Huh, the girl's tough as nails." Then Eric remembered why he had come in. "Here, H." he said as handed Horatio the folder.

"Where did you find this?" Horatio asked as he opened the folder to see a photo of a bloody pipe and analysis results."

"Yeah, we found it tucked away behind the headboard of the bed in Elizabeth Bryant's house."

"I'll bet you anything that it matched the metal shavings Alexx found on the victim."

Eric gave them a curious look. "What metal shavings?"

"Alexx found metal shaving when she ran the sexual assault kit." Horatio explained grimly.

No one said anything as they turned their eyes toward the elevator as Brianna was getting in. They caught her attention when she looked up as the doors closed and she shook her head. The three men looked at one another.

While Eric, Ryan and Horatio went through more of the evidence from Miss Bryant's house, Brianna's cell phone rang as she walked into the morgue as Alexx turned with her phone to her ear.

"You have good time, honey." Alexx said. "It took a little time but I did get a TOD for you. I'm placing it around 11:30 pm."

"How did get that, if that heat pack kept the liver warm."

"I took her renal temperature, which was 98.4, used the Glaister equation and divided it by 1.5."

"That gives you 6.5." Brianna finished.

"Yes, and it was 6:05 this morning when we got there. That puts the TOD around 11:30 pm." Alexx explained.

"Have you got the COD?" Brianna inquired.

"Yes, cause of death was exsanguination. The object that penetrated her, hit a renal artery."

Brianna thought for a moment. "Alexx, did any of the lacerations contribute to that?"

"No, Brianna, none of the lacerations hit major arteries or organs. He simple used those to tortured her."

"The metal shavings were from a steel pipe of some sort and the mask that covered her face was made from vanilla scented candle wax."

Brianna thought for a moment on to be interrupt by her phone. She answered it and listened to the caller.

"Thank you Paula, I'll be right up." Brianna said then hung up. Alexx gave looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"A courier is here with a package for me."

"Brianna, I saw the look on your face. Am I going to have more of these girls on my table?" Alexx inquired.

She looked away then back to Alexx. "I am afraid that is a great possibility Alexx." she said and walked out of the autopsy suite.

Brianna stepped off the elevator and walked up to the receptionist's desk to see a young lady waiting with a package under her arm.

"May I help you?" Brianna asked.

"Yeah, I'm looking for a …" the girl began as she checked her clipboard. "A Detective Sergeant Brianna Caine."

"I am, who's it from?"

"New York Polices Department sent by a Detective Mac Taylor."

Brianna nodded and signed the clip board. The girl handed her the package. She thanked the courier, taking the package. She opened the box to see a thick accordion file folder. Horatio came out of the break room, joining her. Brianna saw him in her peripheral vision.

"Hello, TOD is 11:30 pm and COD is exsanguination." she reported.

"That explains why the body was in rigor, doesn't it." he commented watching her body language.

Brianna nodded in agreement as Natalia came from DNA. "Horatio, Brianna, I have the tox screen results." Natalia said as she handed the folder to Brianna.

Brianna read and reread the results then handed it to her father. "Gamma hydroxy-butyric acid. That answers that question. The killer dosed her."


	4. Chapter 4 A Quiet Evening

_Brianna went up to her office and closed the door. She sat down, resting her head on her desk. Unfortunately, she had been focused on her work, that her now pounding headache had gone unnoticed. In addition, she had not eaten since three-thirty in the morning. She let hair down thinking it would help with her headache._

_She pulled out the top left drawer of her desk and took the ibuprofen the doctor had prescribed her. Brianna opened the accordion folder that Mac had sent her. She began to pull each file out, one at a time. _

_Going ninety to nothing all day finally caught up with her. Before she knew it, she was fast sleep, crime scene photos in hand._

_The next couple of hours went by before anyone realized that Brianna had not been seen in the lab. _

"_Mister Wolfe, have you seen Brianna?" Horatio asked pulling Ryan off to the side._

"_Not for a while. As a matter of fact, I haven't seen her for two hours." Ryan said._

"_Okay, thank you Mister Wolfe." Horatio said. __It's not like Brianna to be gone so long_, he thought.

Horatio had seen Brianna go up to her office, but had not seen her since. He walked into the layout lab and up the stairs to their offices. He lightly tapped on the door. However, he received no answer. He turned the door handle and found it unlocked. Quietly, he opened the door as a gentle smile graced his lips.

Brianna's head lay on her forearms, photos loose in her fingers and a soft purr coming from her lips. Horatio closed the door softly, walked around the desk and sat on the corner. A strand of copper had fallen across her eyes. He reached out and gently tucked it behind her ear. She stirred and slowly opened her eyes. Her eyes focused on who was sitting next to her.

"Hey, did you need some time?" Horatio asked concerned since she had a slight concussion.

"I came up here to go through the file Mac sent me. I guess I fell asleep. I'm sorry, Lieutenant."

He smiled. "No worries, Sergeant. You got called out three-thirty this morning, worked two rather large crime scenes and were assaulted."

She looked at the clock hanging on the wall. "Oh my god, I've been out for two hours."

"Are you going to be good for a few more hours?"

Brianna stood up and stretched. "I'm okay for a few more, dad."

Horatio nodded. "Let's finish the day up."

Brianna gathered up the Hudson file that Mac sent and they headed down to the layout lab. Ryan looked up and smiled.

"No comments from the peanut gallery, Detective Wolfe." Brianna said sweetly.

"Yes, ma'am." Ryan said lifting up his hands in surrender and winked.

Brianna looked around. "Ryan, would you please get everyone in here and make sure someone gets a hold of Frank and Alexx."

Ryan nodded and left to gather everyone up. Horatio watched Brianna carefully layout all the evidence from Miss Bryant's house and information from the Hudson file. 

"What do you think?" Horatio asked

"This is going to be basic until we can get a suspect." Brianna replied then began to talk aloud. "24 year old female, single with a dog, shallow stab wounds, chest mutilated but face is preserved …," She mumbled as she walked around the table, developing a very basic profile. 

ef

Brianna noticed that everyone was making his or her way toward the layout lab. She stepped out to meet them. "This is a very gruesome case and there's a lot of red."

Everyone nodded and walked into the layout lab. Natalia and Anthony had not seen the photos, the expression of disbelief written across their faces. Calleigh and Eric picked up the photos that Brianna had shot before they could there.

Horatio looked over at the door when he heard open to see Frank and Alexx come in. He saw that everyone was there so he began the meeting. "Miss Bryant was murder in her home around 11:30 pm last night with the clear message that more are to come. So far, she has been the only victim reported. Given the escalation rate of killers like this, Sergeant Caine has advised me to handle this as a serial and I am not hesitant in agreeing with her. Sergeant, would you like to take it from here?"

Brianna nodded. "Thank you, Lieutenant." she said as she took over. She past around the photo of the picture frame message. "This will not be the last we hear from the guy. Miss Bryant sustained 20 lacerations none of which were fatal, 50 bite marks concentrated in the inner thigh area," she took a deep breath as she continued. "Her chest tissue was surgically removed and her face preserved with a coating of wax. She was also impaled with a steel pipe."

Brianna set down the autopsy report. "Frank, do you have anyone you like for this?"

"The neighbor guy, Mister Kurt Saunders, looked good, but his alibi holds. His live-in says he did let Miss Bryant's dog in around 11 pm. Ten minutes later, they left to go to," he paused checking his notebook, "Club Neon and there are ten people who can verify it. They didn't leave until 2 am."

"That covers the neighbor." Calleigh said. "So he called it in?"

"No," Frank replied. "He changed his story about that, which is way we brought him in."

"However, his voice tag doesn't match the voice on the 911 call." Anthony commented.

"Do we know who it matches?" Brianna asked. 

"No, I am still working on it, ma'am." Anthony said.

"Okay, keep on it, Mister Blackstone. Make sure you look for any ambient sounds." Horatio added.

"Prints came back as belonging to our victim, her brother and a couple of her friends." Eric reported.

"Have we talked to them yet, Frank?" Brianna inquired.

"Amy Henderson and Alisha Toomey said that they were over at the victim's house every Monday and Tuesday."

"What did Miss Bryant do for a living?" Ryan asked.

"She worked for an architectural firm called Blue Horizons, Inc. She worked at the office three days a week the other two at her home."

"Where do Miss Henderson and Miss Toomey fit in?" Natalia asked.

"They're her assistants." Frank said. 

"The brother, Frank?" Horatio asked.

"Mister Caleb Bryant works the graveyard shift at the Dodge Island shipyard as the crane operator."

"Those shifts start at 11 pm and end at 5:30 am, so that clears him." Eric commented.

Brianna raised an eyebrow. _It ends at 5:30 am. The 911 call came in at 6 am_, she thought. "Frank, did he say what he did after he go off?" she wondered.

Frank flipped through his notebook. "Umm, he said he went home to sleep."

"What's his primary residence?" 

"Home is listed as 501 NW 9th in downtown."

"I wonder if he calls Mister Douglas calls his sister's address home?" Brianna commented.

"I'll check into that." Frank said then walked out of layout.

Calleigh, Ryan, Natalia, Eric, Alexx and Anthony looked at the photos. Calleigh picked up the photo of the mask.

"You know, I remember reading about a case in New York about eight years ago. This is looking a lot like that case." Calleigh observed.

Brianna picked up her notes from the Hudson case. "The case was penned "The Mannequin Maker" because the killer, Arnold Hudson, would dip his victims in wax before he killed them.

"That's hideous." Natalia commented. "What was Hudson's background?"

"Hudson came from dysfunctional home, father was physically abusive, mother sexually abusive. One Hudson's punishments as a child was having his hands and feet dipped in wax.

"That'll mess a kid up." Eric said.

"In addition, all Hudson's victims were in their mid-twenties, single, extremely successful at work, and social butterflies." Brianna explained. 

"This guy was sick. He killed eight women before he was caught." Calleigh added.

Brianna picked up the file that Mac had sent her. "His MO was to get to know them, date them for a week, bring them home, torture them, dip them and rape them to death."

"Ladies and gentlemen," Horatio began. "This could potentially be a copy cat picking up where Mister Hudson left off."

"Isn't it possible that Hudson is back?" Natalia asked.

"I wish that was the case, Natalia, but it's not. Hudson was arrested after two months, convicted and executed in 2004." Horatio said.

"So, we're looking at new serial killer then." Calleigh stated.

Brianna and Horatio looked at one another. "Yes, we are. He's going to be a male, in his thirties; he's going to be a perfectionist with possible OCD and single."

"Here's the plan," Horatio said. "Eric, Natalia, I want you to track down any business contacts, clients and enemies that Miss Bryant may have had in the past month." Turning to Ryan and Calleigh, "I want the two of you to get a hold of the family, friends and see if there were any significant others that have been in the picture. Anthony, keep on the 911 call and find that caller." Horatio then looked at Brianna. "Tomorrow, go back to Miss Bryant's residence, I want a complete profile."

ef

Everyone left to get started. Calleigh walked out of the layout lab, but she did not hear any footsteps behind her. She turned to see Ryan watching Brianna as she organized the files on the layout table. She came back to the door.

"Hey, are you coming, Ryan?" Calleigh asked, flicking the sleeve of Ryan's jacket.

Ryan turned and looked back at Brianna, "Umm, yeah, I'm coming."

Horatio followed Ryan and Calleigh out of the layout lab. While they were waiting for the elevator, Horatio pulled Ryan off to the side.

"Something wrong, H?" Ryan asked with concern.

"Everything's fine, Mister Wolfe. Would you do something for me?" he asked quietly.

"Sure, what do you need?"

"Are you and Brianna still having dinner tonight?" Horatio smiled.

"Yeah, as far as I know."

Horatio nodded. "Stay with her tonight, please."

"Okay, I was going to ask her about that anyway." Ryan agreed. "I'll make sure she's alright." 

The elevator announced its arrival. Calleigh and Ryan stepped in. She looked at Horatio then at Ryan, both men having a contented smile. She could not help but smile. 

ef

Around seven o'clock, Ryan pulled his black Mazda RX-8 into the parking lot of Brianna's building. He parked next to her car and got out. Ryan wore a dark green tee shirt, blue jeans and a pair of Timberland boots. He opened the trunk, pulled out his duffle bag, a grocery sack containing vanilla sponge cake, strawberries and heavy whipping cream and a bottle of 2005 Stoller Dundee Hills Chardonnay.

The door attendant greeted him and opened the door. Ryan nodded in appreciation, making his way to the elevator. He pressed the up button, stepping in when the doors opened. The doors closed as he pressed the 14th floor button. 

Ryan stepped off the elevator, turned right and went down the hall to the third door on the left. He knocked on the door. 

Brianna had come out of her bedroom wearing a fern colored scoop neck satin top with pleated strap, jeans and a pair of black bamboo sandals. She had her hair in a French twist, her freckles more prominent from being outside. 

Brianna was making sautéed shrimp and scallops, asparagus and new potatoes while Ryan was bringing strawberry shortcake and the wine. A knock on the door got her attention. She walked over to the door.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"It's Ryan, Bri."

She smiled and opened the door. He looked at her for a moment.

"You look beautiful, babe." he said as Brianna shut the door. "It smells great in here."

"Thank you."

Ryan held up the wine bag. "2005 Stoller Dundee Hills Chardonnay."

Brianna raised an eyebrow. "Very nice, did you bring everything for the short cake?" she asked as she took the grocery sack.

He smiled and wrapped his left arm around her slender waist, pulling her close. "Yes, I did." he answered as he bent head down to kiss her. He captured her lips in a gentle but passionate kiss, enjoying their softness. Brianna sighed and Ryan took advantage of it by deepening the kiss as he slid his tongue into her mouth, tasting her thoroughly. He eased out of the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. "God, I wanted to do that all day."

Brianna sighed. "Mmm, that was very very nice."

"You're welcome. How's your headache?" he asked as they walked into the kitchen.

She turned and looked at him. "How did you know I had one?"

Ryan chuckled and said, "Because you and Horatio both pinch the bridge of your nose when you have a headache."

Brianna dipped her head and blushed. "Yes, the poker face cracks every once in a while."

"I think it's less frequent than that." he jested as he took out the shrimp and scallops out of the refrigerator. The timer went off on the oven. "What's in the oven?"

Brianna grabbed a side towel. "Herb and parmesan roasted potatoes." she replied as she pulled them out of the oven. "And they're not quite done yet."

"Do you want me to work on the strawberries or the shrimp and scallops?" Ryan asked as he pulled a sauté out of the pan drawer.

"If you would you take care of the strawberries that would be great." she replied as the phone began to ring. She picked up the phone, seeing that it was her father on the caller id. "Hello, dad," Brianna answered.

"Hello, Sparks how is your evening going?" Horatio asked as he was getting ready for his own date.

"Quiet for once. We are having sautéed shrimp and scallops, asparagus and new potatoes. Ryan brought stuff for strawberry shortcake and a bottle 2005 Stoller Dundee Hills Chardonnay."

"Mmm, that sounds great."

"Speaking of dates, when you do you pick up Aunt Yelina?"

"I'm picking her up at eight o'clock." 

Brianna looked at the clock. "It's seven-thirty, you'd better get going."

"Thank you, you two enjoy yourselves." he said.

"We will. Have a great time dad." Brianna replied.

She set the phone back in the cradle and giggled softly. Ryan smiled. _I love her laugh_, he though.

"Did I hear you right, that Horatio is taking Yelina out?"

"Yes, you did. He's taking her to Emeril's."

"Wow, I never would have thought those two would ever get serious." Ryan commented as he put the strawberries in the refrigerator.

"I know it's been a long time coming. They've been seeing each other for a year now."

"You think maybe he's going to ask to her to marry him?"

Brianna threw the shrimp and the large bay scallops into the hot sauté pan. "That could be possible. He's been asking me what I think of her and such, so maybe."

Fifteen minutes later, Ryan poured the wine and helped Brianna bring the plates to the table. He pulled out one of the chairs for her to sit. She sat down and Ryan sat down across form her. 

They talked about Ryan's niece who had a dance recital and Michael's promotion to ASAC. Brianna and Ryan had a rule, when they are off the clock; the topic of work was off limits. It was something, Brianna had learned from her father, keep work at work and do not bring it home.

Ryan prepared the strawberry shortcake and brought it to the table. He sat down and watched her for a moment. _I never thought I would be with someone this long. I think maybe it's time to talk to Horatio_, he thought.

Brianna noticed that he had not touched his dessert. "You have something on your mind, Ry?"

He smiled, stood up and walked over to the stereo. "You're right, I do." Ryan replied as he turned it on. He walked back to the table. "May I have this dance?"

Brianna smiled sweetly, putting her hand in Ryan's'. He led to the open space of the living room

As Sarah McLachlan's Angel played, Ryan took the clip that held her hair up. He whispered into her ear, "Would you have any objections to me talking to Horatio?"

Brianna lifted her head from his shoulder and looked into Ryan's hazel green eye. It took her a moment to grasp what he was asking. Ryan smiled as the realization settled into her.

"Ryan, are you serious?" Brianna breathed out softly.

"Brianna, we've been together for five years. I would like it to stay that way." He said as he caressed her cheek with his fingers.

She leaned her head into his hand. "I love you, Ryan Wolfe."

"I love you more, Brianna Caine." Ryan said as he passionately kissed her as he picked her up and carried hr back to the mater bedroom.


End file.
